Mark 11:27 - 12:12 - The Lord of the Vineyard

The parable in Mark 12:1-12 might leave some feeling as if God is pretty foolish. In this parable, God is the landowner who has leased His land to some tenants (Jews, especially the Jewish leaders). The landowner, God, sent a servant (a prophet) to collect the rent. Instead of paying up, the tenants beat up the servant and sent him back empty-handed. The landowner sent another servant, and the same thing happened. This vicious cycle of landowner, tenant, servant, beating…landowner, tenant, servant, beating repeats itself again and again. Finally, after all the servants have either been beaten or murdered, the landowner has no one left to send but His beloved Son. The landowner reasoned that the murderous tenants would surely respect His Son, so He sends Him. Of course, nothing changes, and the Son is murdered.

Some would say the landowner was foolish. Who would keep sending servant after servant, seeing them all return home on a stretcher or in a body bag?

Here is the point! God is not foolish. He is gracious. He kept sending His servants – and finally His beloved Son, Jesus – because of His grace.  Of course, the tenants killed Jesus too, but that was the height of His grace. For in Jesus’ death, the wicked and vile tenants could be forgiven because the Son died in their place – for their sin. The tenants can now be counted righteous by the very God they offended because His Son paid for their sin.

Our place in this story is easily seen. We haven’t paid the rent either. We haven’t given heed to the Word of God. Instead, we have spurned His grace. Yet, God continues to be gracious, desiring that none perish. He wants people to come to eternal life through grace by faith.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

1. Based on Isaiah 5:1-7, what does the vineyard in Jesus’ parable represent?
2. Whom does the vineyard owner represent? How have you experienced a greater understanding of Scripture by knowing the storyline and the details of the Old Testament?
3. What are the responsibilities that come with our privilege of being God’s chosen people?
4. What kind of fruit are we to bear as Christians?
5. We tend to think of warnings as something bad, a message of judgment. How are God’s warnings to us a sign of His grace?
6. What are some ways we might use religiosity to mask our lack of fruitfulness?
7. What aspects of this parable’s warning apply to us today?
8. What role does “bearing fruit” play in our mission to share and show the love of God?